Vicky Norton
BBC Radio Stoke

Organisers behind a Remembrance service say they're devastated after discovering four generators needed for Sunday have been stolen.

Image source, Google

It's believed thieves broke into the compound at Queen's Park, Longton, where the generators were stored, overnight.

Staffordshire Police says an investigation has been launched and officers are currently checking CCTV pictures.

In a post on Facebook, the Queen's Park Partnership says, external the theft means they're also going to have to scale back how many events they hold next year.

Kidderminster Shuttle

Some of the headlines on the Kidderminster Shuttle website this afternoon:

• Motorcyclist killed in Cookley crash named, external
• Cabinet vote could close Wyre Forest Connect disability day service, external
• Candles will light up Kidderminster for 661 fallen soldiers, external

Sophie Calvert
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A council's agreed to pay £363,000 towards getting a leisure centre back in use - but only if that happens within a year.

Kidsgrove Leisure Centre shut in June last year, despite protests from people who used it,because it was said it would cost millions to repair., external

The building was owned by Staffordshire County Council but it has now agreed to hand it over to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council for a nominal fee., external

With that, the authority says it's also giving the £363,000 - the amount it says it would cost to demolish - to the borough council, on condition it is brought back into use for leisure within a year.

A volunteer group, Kidsgrove Community Interest Organisation, external, is currently working with the borough council on bringing some of the centre back into use.

Allen Cook
BBC News

While 31 new sites in the West Midlands have been added to Historic England's At Risk register, the organisation says dozens in the region have also been saved., external

Image source, Google

They include the Redhouse, Whitehouse and Newhouse glassworks in Stourbridge, described as a "landmark icon" of the British glass industry.

Also saved are the All Saints Church on Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent, (pictured) and Clifford Castle, Clifford, Herefordshire.

Image source, Google

But sites newly added to the At Risk register include the family home of Joseph Chamberlain, Highbury Hall (pictured), Birmingham, and Kinlet Hall in Shropshire.

Image source, Google

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

Tonight looks set to be dry with clear spells and patchy cloud cover with highs of 8C (46F).

Faith Page
Reporter, BBC Shropshire

A footbridge is going to be closed at Shrewsbury Railway Station later this year as further upgrade work's carried out., external

Image source, Google

Two years ago, Network Rail finished renewing the large canopy roof over three platforms.

Now, it says it's planning more canopy repairs at the site from later this month and will revamp the Dana footbridge, closing it to pedestrians, from 14 December.

Shropshire Council says it will also close all council buildings on Friday from January to save cash.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A 17-year-old boy's been arrested after another teenager was stabbed , externalon a bus in Birmingham.

Image source, Google

Police said the 16-year-old victim was attacked on Kings Road, Kingstanding, at about 14:40 GMT and was taken to hospital with a chest injury.

His wounds aren't thought to be life-threatening.

Allen Cook
BBC News

The man in charge of a struggling hospital trust which has been put into special measures today says he welcomes the extra support from the move., external

Image source, Google

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) is already being investigated over baby deaths and has been subject to repeated warnings over patient safety across two sites.

The decision to place it into special measures means it is no longer trusted to run itself alone, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock saying SaTH would now receive support and "enhanced oversight" from NHS Improvement.

Responding, the trust's chief executive Simon Wright said he wasn't denying they faced challenges at the trust but, with the extra help, "we are confident that we will deliver”.

Liz Ellis
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke

A village is preparing to unveil a new war memorial on the centenary of the end of World War One.

Following the closure of the local chapel, Norton Green, on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent, was left without a permanent tribute to those from the area who'd died in the conflict.

But, after the local community raised several thousand pounds to pay for it, a new war memorial is to be officially unveiled on Remembrance Sunday., external

Facebook

Facebook users have been having their say on news that Shropshire Council's brought in an immediate spending freeze as this year's budget is "proving to be a challenge".

The moves it's implementing include telling staff that they'll have to work from home for at least one day a month and that, from January, all council buildings will shut at noon.

Image source, Google

On BBC Shropshire's Facebook page, Hazel Jump posted, external: "I understand this, but it won't save on travel costs, as they would still need to drive to work in the morning."

Trevor Faulkner chipped in with, external: "Think the management need reviewing and if they not performing then get rid like they do in the real world."

Whereas Toby Pedley questioned, external: "But they can spend £50+million on shopping centres", referring to the same authority agreeing to buy Shrewsbury's three main shopping centres for £51m earlier this year.

Phil Maiden
BBC Hereford and Worcester

The family of a motorcylist killed in a crash say their lives have been changed forever., external

Image source, West Mercia Police

Oli Rowles was riding home from his job at Titan Steel Wheels when police say he was involved in a collision with a car on the A449 at Cookley, near Kidderminster, on Monday.

The 22-year-old's dad Raymond, mum Jayne and sister Whitney have described him as the joker of the family who was full of life, love and laughter and say his death leaves "a silence too loud to bare".

Officers say they are still appealing for witnesses and no arrests have been made in connection with the crash., external

Children in Birmingham are being sent to school with cold burgers, cans of shandy and even entire takeaway pizzas, according to the city's school meals team.

Development Chef Simon Bishop said children were also sent in with drive-through meals picked up on the way to school, while one child was found with just a packet of Pringles and a chocolate bar.

He is asking parents to think about the health of their children when they pack lunchboxes.

A grandmother, who died after being hit by a car, has been described as "possessing a joy for life that was infectious".

Jean Stilgoe, 79, suffered serious injuries on Chester Road, Chelmsley Wood on Tuesday, and died in hospital a few hours later.

Image source, Family handout

In a statement, her family said: "Jean was a loving, caring and dedicated wife, mother and grandmother.

"She had lived in Chelmsley Wood for over 50 years and was involved in community projects ranging from being an Akela with the local cubs to most recently performing with the Three Trees Community Centre Ukulele Band and Choir".

The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and is helping officers with their inquiries, said West Midlands Police.

Allen Cook
BBC News

By placing the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) into special measures, the government is saying that it is longer trusted to run itself alone.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that SaTH would receive support and "enhanced oversight" from NHS Improvement (NHSI).

So what happens now? Well, on NHSI's website,, externalthe organisation says it will give such a trust support, but also expect it to draw up an improvement plan, to be published on its website.

It goes on to say that it will review the people leading the organisation and, if necessary, make changes to how it's managed, so it can improve.

NHSI says that it would then expect the Care Quality Commission to reinspect SaTH in 12 months, to see if there have been enough improvements to patient care and leadership to take it out of special measures.

A police officer accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in the back seat of his car has told jurors "she seemed to be enjoying it".

Cheshire Police PC Ian Naude, 30, who denies rape and sexual assault, picked the girl up from her home and drove her to a quiet country lane, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

Image source, Google

Mr Naude, of Market Drayton, Shropshire, told the jury that they got in the back seat and had sex, with him taking photos and videos on his mobile phone.

He has admitted sexual intercourse and sexual activity with a child but claims it was consensual.

The trial continues.

Coventry Live

Some of the headlining stories on the Coventry Live website today are:

• Tributes to "wonderful" 14-year-old girl hit by truck, external
• Thug who attacked dog admits 'stomping on its head', external
• Speed cameras are now installed at accident hotspots, external

Clare Lissaman
BBC News

People from around the world have handmade poppies for a World War One centenary display in Warwick, which organisers believe may be one of the largest of its kind.

The display in St Mary’s church features more than 62,400 poppies made from paper, ceramic, metal and other recycled materials.

“The response has been incredible. We did not expect this amount of poppies," Helen Fitzpatrick, one of the organisers, said.

The project, initially only supported by local schools and community groups, was launched to commemorate people in Warwickshire killed in conflict.

Mrs Fitzpatrick said the total had risen since the 62,438 last counted.

Refugees in Canada and people in Warwick’s twin towns in Queensland, Australia and Orange County, New York are among those who sent poppies.

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Midlands reporter, BBC News

A worker has described how he was clearing metal pieces from a recycling bay when a wall fell on him, pinning his leg under the weight of rubble.

An inquest into the deaths of five men who died at Hawkeswood Metal Recycling, Birmingham, in July 2016 is being held.

Speaking through an interpreter, Tombong Conteh, the only surviving worker, said he had noticed nothing untoward with the wall or anything within the bay that might have led to the collapse.

The inquest heard him describe how he passed out and couldn't remember being moved from the scene.

Andre Rhoden-Paul
BBC News

A council which has announced an immediate spending freeze "is clearly in crisis", an opposition councillor's claimed.

Today, the Conservative-run Shropshire Council announced the move, saying the budget for this year was proving challenging.

Image source, Getty Images

As well as the spending freeze, staff at the authority have been told to work from home for one day a month, council buildings will shut at noon on a Friday and printing's being monitored.

Leader Peter Nutting said they were making difficult decisions but the council's Labour group leader, Alan Mosley, said he was "horrified" by the move and what it means.

He told the BBC that it looked like a panic measure and could mean there would be bigger cuts in the future.